Holder for photographic-printing plates



W. C. HUEBNER.

HOLDER FOR PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINTING PLATES.'

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w. c. HUEBNER;

HOLDER FOR PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINTING PLAES.

Patented Apr. 18, 1922.

V APPLICATION FILED FEB 2L |919. 1,41 3,406.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

W. C. HUEBNER.

HOLDER FOR PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINTING PLATES.

Patented Apr. 18, 1922.

4 SHtETS-SHEET 3.

APPLICATIQN FILED FEB. 27, 1919.

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W. C. HUEBYNER.

HOLDER FOR PHTOGRAPHIC PRINTING PLATES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB, 27. 1919.

L41 3,406. Pa'Iented Apr. 18, 1922.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4. l

'UNITED STATES WILLIAM c. Hummm, oF BUFFALO, Naw Yeux, Assrciron To HUEBNER, 'PATENTS co., oF BUFFALo, NEW Yonx.

PATENT orricri..A

FLmsrEiN FOR PHOTOGRAPHIC-PRINTING PLATE.

' Specification of Letters Patent. l f,|,{,en1;ed Apr. 18, 1922 i.

Application maa February 27, 1919; serial No. 279,493.

To all lwhom it mag/concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM C. HUEBNER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York,`have invented a new and useful Improvement in Holders for Photographic-Printing Plates, of which the following is aspecification. l

This invention relates to holders for the negatives or transparent printing plates used in photographic contact 'printing or projection composing apparatus land other apparatus used in connection with photographic plate production. Suchphotographic printing apparatus are intended for photographing any desired number of like or different prints in any required predetermined and registered position and relative arrangement upon the sensitized surfaces of zo metal press plates or glass plates which are afterwards suitably finished and used in mechanical printing presses or photographic apparatus for printing in one or more Icolors.

always of uniform thickness throughout,\be

ing sometimes thicker at one corner or portion than at another. This has proven in practice to be a constant source of misregister because the plate clamp at a thin portion Vof the -plate may project slightly yabove the face of the plate and when pressure for close contact is applied such projecting. clamp is forced inwardly and, acting against the bevelled edge of the printing plate, shifts the plate on the holder. Such projection of the clamp or any other-'part of the holder or support for thev printing plate is also apt to dent or. injure the sensi-l tized` plate when these plates are forced into contact with each other. Hence itis 'im-l portant to construct the holder so that its clamps and all other parts occupy a position in line with, or preferably well below or back from the plane of the face of the printing plate. Heretofore it has been customary to place masks of various material over the 'edges of the transparent printing plate and the glass supporting plate to prevent the leakage of lightto :the sensitized surface.

But the use of such masks is 'objectionable because of the time required to place theni in position vand the" delay in the output of i the photographic printing apparatus. Such masks, furthermore are easily displaced and Glass-negatives or printing plates are not f plate and will avoid the above mention often result in spoiling the prints during exposure because a displaced mask allows light action in the wrong place on the sensitized surface. The masks also prevent close contact between glass or rigid printing and 60 print receiving plateshleaving a space between the plate so that light can lealearound the various printing units, which esiiits in very inferior work, or spoiling the plates. One object of the invention is to produce a negative or printing late holder which avoids the. objections an attains the desired results above indicated. Other yobjects of Y the invention 'are to provide a holder on which the transparent negative or printing plate is adj ustably mounted So that it .can be secured with precision in a predetermined position, and which is adapted to be placedV in a registering or centering device by means of which the printing plate can be adjusted so that it or the image or images thereon will occupy precisely the intended` positions when the holder is placed in the photographic printing apparatus, thereby greatly increasing the speed of operation of the printing apparatus; also to provide a holder with means whereby it is adapted for use in Vmaking prints from a glass or rigid transvdifferent printing plates secured in corresponding positions on a plurality of such holders in the registering or centering device will occupy. exactly registering positions when the holders are placed on the printing apparatus; also'to provide means which will 'prevent the leakage oflight through the border portions of the transparent printi t inconveniences and trouble incident to the use of masks ;l also to provide desirable means 4 for masking or covering a `rtion of the printing plate so as to enab e a print to be made' from a portion only of the 110 of the securing plate, or from one or more of a plurality of images on the plate and at the same time ensure proper contact between the printing and print-receiving surfaces; also to provide the holder with means for retaining a flexible transparent printing plate or film thereon and means for masking a. portion of such iiexible printing plate or film so as to enab-le a print to be made from. a portion only of Such iiexible printing plate on a. glass or rigid print-receiving plate and to ensure perfect contact between all portions of the printing and print-receiving surfaces; also to improve photographic printing plate holders in the other respects hereinafter described and set forth in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan or face view of a printing plate holder embodying the invention and showing a printing plate in position thereon.

Fig. 2 is an edge elevation of the holder.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one corner of the transparent supporting plate for the printing plate. j

ig. 4 is an enlarged section showing one devices for the printing and su porting plates.

ig. 5 is an enlarged sectional elevation on line 5 5, Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a plan or fac holder secured in place on an adjustable support .therefor Fig. 7 is a sectional elevation thereof on line 7 7, Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 6, showing modified securing means for the printing plate holder and also showing means for masking a portion of the printing plate.

Fig. 9 is a sectional elevation thereof on line 9 9, Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is a sectional view of one of the attaching devices for the masks.

Fig. 1l is a view similar to Fig. 8, showing the holder provided with means for securing thereon a flexible printing plate or film, and masking means therefor.

F 1g. 12 is a sectional elevation on line 12-12, Fig. 11. i

A represents the transparent negative or printing plate and the holder therefor.

The holder preferably consists of a metal plate provided with a central opening l opposite which the printing plate is arranged so as to be illuminated by light passing through the opening. 2 indicates a strong glass or rigid, transparent, supporting plate which is secured on the holder over or bridging the opening 1 therein and supports the printing plate. The printing plate and supporting plate are secured on the holder` B by securing devices which are arranged at a plurality of points around the printing and supporting plates and are adapted to engage the same. Any requisite number of l'these securing devices may be employed. In

e view showing the the holders shown in Figs. l-9 one securends of the printing plate and two securing devices at each of the remaining edges of the plate, whereas in the holder shown in Fig. l1, three of the holding devices are shown at each of the opposite long edges of the printing plate. Each of the securing devices is preferably constructed as follows, see Figs. 4 and 5. A block 3 which is stationarily secured by screws 4 or otherwise on the holder B, bridging a cavity or recesses 5 therein, is provided with a bevelled Ainner end which overhangs the adjacent bevelled edge of the supporting plate 2 and bears firmly against a piece of suitable cushioning material 6 arranged between the end of the block and the edge of the supporting plate 2. By tightening the securing screws 4, the supporting plate 2 is clamped and securely held stationarily on the face of the holder B. Each of the blocks 3 is provided in its outer portion with an undercut guide way or slot 8 in which a clamping block or slide 9 is arranged to slide toward and from the adjacent edge of the printing plate. This clamping block has a bevelled inner end adapted to engage the adjacent bevelled edge lof the printing plate and this bevelled end of the clamping block is also preferably rounded as shown in Fig. l to permit slight angular adjustment of the printing plate on the supporting plate. The clamping block is moved to engage and release the printing plate, preferably by a thumb screw 10 which is journaled in a bearing on the outer end of the clamping block and works in a screw threaded hole l1 in the guide block 3. The plate holder and securing devices are constructed and arranged so that the outer faces of the clamping blocks, the operating screws therefr,`and all other parts of the holder are located well below or back from the plane of the outer face of the printing plate, so that a press plate or print-receiving surface can be placed against and contact with the outer face of the printing plate throughout the extent thereof and project beyond the edges of the printing plate without coming in contact with the securing devices or other parts vof the holder. The latter cannot therefore interfere with the complete and perfect contact of the printing plate with a printing-receiving surface which may project beyond the edges of the printing plate. 'Securing devices of any other suitable construction capable of similar results could be employed.

The opposite faces and the edges of the marginal portions of the supporting plate 2 are covered with a thin, opaque coating or paint 12 of any suitable sort adapted to prevent the passage of light through the coated portions of the plate, and the marginal portions of the negative or transparent printing plate A 'are similarly covered`with a thin, opaque paint or coating 13. The opaque border 12 of the supporting plate extends inwardly from the edges of the plate to or beyond the edges of the negative and the opaque border 13 of the negative extends to the margin of the picture or subject on the printing plate. In this way, light is effectually prevented from leaking through the edges or marginal portions of the surfaces of the printing and supporting plates. The opaque coatings are thin enough not to prevent the proper contact ofthe printing plate against the supporting plate Iand against the press plate or print-receiving surface. These border coatings take the place of and serve the function of the strips of material or masks which have heretofore been used and are much more desirable in that they eliminate the inconvenience and trouble incident to placing and securing the mask strips in place, they cannot be displaced and they also insure a better Contact of the printing plate with the supporting plate and print-receiving surface. They also cover the edges of the plates which are not properly covered by the separate-piece masks or strips.

lThe holder B carrying the v.transparent negative or printing plate A is adapted to be sition on the holder support of a photo graphic printing apparatus, or other supi port, -such as the supporting part ofa registering and centeringl device, preferably as follows:

The holder is provided at opposite ends the hardened bearings ofthe holder in contact with cooperatin `abutments 19 and 20 on the head at one en and at the bottom edge of the plate holder. The hardened bearings on the holder preferablv have bevelled'edges adapted toengage un ercut'bevelled edgesv on. `the abutments 19 and 20'of the supporting' head. When the` holder has beenfthusl placed on the supporting. head it isforcedfirmlyY against the abutments' on the head by suitable devices at one end and the upper edge of the holder: The devices shown for this purpose in F1g.6,1consist.o.f a wedge 21 which engages the hardened bearing projection 15 at onel end ofthe Yplate holden and is actuated by a` lever 2 2 provided with a pinion 23 engaging rack teeth on the wedge. By turning-thislever the wedge* is moved against the' contacting bearing pro'ection 15 and shoves thel holder Boyer firmly against the abutment 19 at the opposite end ofthe holder. A cam lever 24 pivoted on the supf porting head engages the hardened bearing 17 at the upper edge of the holder. By

` holder. secured accurately in a predetermined poturning this cam lever the holder is forced downwardly, firmly against the lower Ia'butments 20.' By thusk forcing the holder against the abutments at the end and lower edge of Xthe holder, it is insured that the holder will always be secured in precisely the same position on the supporting head,

and ldifferent holders, which are alike, will always occupy precisely corresponding positions on the .supporting head. The plate In the construction shown in Figs. 8 to 11,`

two securing screws 26 on the supporting plate holder are employed in place of the wedge and cam levers above described. EachA of these screws is connected to and moves a bolt or slide 27 having an undercut bevelled end which engages the bevelled edge of the-hardened bearing 15 or 17 `on the plate By tightening these screws the plate holder is not only shoved over and down firmly against the abut-ments on the supporting head at the end and lower edge of the plate holder, but the undercut bevelled edges of the abutments 19 and'20 on the supl porting head and the securing bolts also force 'head at the upper edge and one end of the i the. holder back firmly against the faceof the supporting head. The supporting head has a central opening 28 which registers with/the opening 1 of the plate holder to`admit light'to the transparent` printing plate. Thesupporting head isprcf-v erably rotatably mounted in any suitable.V

mannerin a circular opening 29 in a main support or plate'30. The supporting'head with the plate holder-.secured thereon can therefore be Arotatably adjusted on thev main 'support to permittheVv printingdplate to be set in any required angular position, which canv be indicated. by cooperating marks or graduations onthe edge of the rotatable head and the main support. As shown, the supportinghead is retained and permitted to turn-on the mainsupport by a flanged ring 31 which is bolted or otherwise secured to the supporting headl and projects beyond the edge of the circular opening 29 in the main support at the rear or underside thereof. Any other suitable way of rotatably mounting thei'supporting head on the main support could be employed. The rotatable head can be stationarily secured, when it has been adjusted to the desired angular position on the main support, by any suitable means, such as thumb screws 32 carried vby the rotatable l head and having swiveled end pieces adapted to bear against the face of the main support. The main support 30 may be the part of a photographic printing apparatus on which the holder is supported for making prints from the printing plate A, or it may be the holder support in another apparatus, such as adevice for accurately positioning, registering or centering the printing plate. If the plate holder B is secured on the support 30 in a registering or centering device and the printing plate adjusted to a definite position, the plate will occupy an exactly corresponding positionwhen the plate holderl B is removed and similarly secured in the like support 30 of the printing apparatus. The printing plate can therefore be accurately centered and positioned on the holder in the registering or centering device and the holder carrying the printing plate then quickly and easily secured in the printing apparatus, thus avoiding delay in the operation of the latter. This way of proceeding is especially desirable when it 1s necessary to place a succession of printing plates in exactly registering positions in the printmg apparatus. u

33 and 34, Figs. 8 and 9, indicate thin masks or covering strips of paper, or other suitable thin, opaque material, which are adapted to be placed crosswise of each other over the face of the printing plate and thus cover a greater or less portion of the face of' the plate, depending upon the Width of the mask strips. Each of these mask strips is preferably held at its opposite ends in spring or other clips 35, of any suitable connstruction, which are connected by suitable elastic webs 36 to hooks or fastening devices 37 adapted to be engaged with rods 38 attached. to the printing plate holder beyond the edges of the printing plate. These attaching rods 38 can be secured to the plate holder,l preferably'detacha-bly, by any suitable means, such as short posts 39 through which the rods extend and which are removably retained by friction in holes 40 in the corners of the plate holder. tion enables the mask strips and their at` taching devices to be readily placed in position on the plate holder over the printing plate when they are desired for use and to be removed when they are not needed. The masks are made of material which is thin enough not to prevent a proper contact of the exposed portion of the printing plate with a flexible, metal, print-receiving plate. It should be understood that this print receiving plate is pressed against the transparent prlnting plate by a suitable pressure device (not shown), located atthe rear side of the print-receiving plate opposite the por" tion of the printing plate which is left uncovered by the masks. As shown by Fig. 9, the attaching devices for the masks, as well as all other parts of the This construcplate holder and its,

supports are located below or back from the plane of the outer face of the printing plate so as not to prevent the proper contact of the printing plate with a print receiving surface whichV may project beyond the edges of the printing plate over the attaching devices or other parts of the holder or supports.

Figs. lland l2 show the printing plate holder equipped with means for securing a thin, flexible, transparent printing plate or film 41, and a masking film or sheet 42 over the glass or rigid plate A. As shown, the transparent printing film 41 has secured to two opposite edges, parallel attaching bars 43, each provided with Ia pair of headed studs 44, adapted to enter undercut transverse slots 45 in the screw-operated securing blocks 46 for the glass plate A. By slipping the studs 44 into the slots of the securing blocks and moving these blocks by means of their operating screws, the thin film can be stretched taut over the face of the glass plate A. This transparent printing film is then backed and held from deflection by the glass plate A and can be used 'or making photographic prints on either a fiexible or rigid, print-receiving plate or surface. The mask or cover film `42 is a thin, .transparent film which extends over the face of the glass plate A between the same and the printing film 4l. This mask film is stretched and secured on the holder in a. manner similar to the printing film by attaching bars 47 secured to the four edges 0f the mask film and providedwith headed studs 48 adapted t0 be engaged in transverse, undercut slots in the securing blocks 49 arranged at the four edges of the glass printing plate. The mask film is stretched taut by moving these securing blocks 49 by means-of theirscrews in the same manner that the printing film is stretched and secured. The mask or cover film is provided with an opaque portion or coating, indicated at 50, which can be located so as to cover or blank out any desired portion of the printing film. The light cannot pass through this opaque portion so that only the portions of' the image or images which are not covered by the opaque coating Will be printed. Since the mask or cover film underlies the printing film throughout the entire .area of the glass or rigid plate A, the outer surface of the printing film will occupy the same plane throughout and can be placed in perfect contact throughout its entire printing area With va glass or rigid printreceiving surface, thus insuring a perfect print on such a glass or rigid print-receiving surface. Perfect y,prints can, therefore, be made on 'glass plates or other rigid printreceiving surfacesV which would not be possible if mask strips or pieces were used which covered only a portion of the printing film because such strips or pieces would pref mimos vent ah intimate @outset of portions of the printing and print-receiving surfaces, thus leaving a space which would ypermit leakage of light suiiicient to make an imperfect rint.

It is intended to use the holders described in photographic contact printing and projecting composing .apparatus as well as other y apparatus used in connection with photographic plate production.

One of the functions of the-plate holder in projection devices requires, that the plate carrying the image can be positioned and securely held precisely in predetermined registered location on'the copy or image carrier of projecting cameras. This is possible with the holder. described. It is also possible to securely hold a sensitized glass plate in a predetermined registered location on the holderand to hold both the glass plate and its holder in a predetermined registered location upon thefr supporting frames of either contact printing or projecting devices, so prints can be placed in predetermined locations by either contact or projection photography. vAlso to securely hold in a predetermined registered location a plate or film carrying an image or a multiple number of images for use in either projecting or contact apparatus, whereby a visual registration 'can be secured by an image to image check-l up for positioning predetermined exposures to be made upon other print-receiving plates. The device also serves for holding images or masks in predetermined register .on either contact or projecting devices, whereby light can be transmitted to a sensitized surface securely held in a predetermined location. I

I claim as mty-invention:

1. The combination of a printing plate holder having, an opening therethrough and `provided with means for adjustably securing a transparent printing-plate on said holder in a position' bridging said opening, a rotatable head having an opening regis- Atering with the opening in thelplate holder, means for securing said holder stationarily in a predetermined position on said head, a support on which said head is 'rotatably adjustable for placing the printing plate in diiierent angular positions, and means for securing the head in adjusted position on said support. l

2. The. combination of a printing plate .holder having an opening therethrough and provided with means for securing a transparent printing plate in a predeterminedr position on said holder bridging said opening, a rotatable head, means for removably securing said holder stationarily in a predetermined position on said head, a support on vwhich said head is rotatably adjustable for placing the printingy plate in different angular positions, and means for securing ththead inadjustcl position on said suppo 4. The combination bf a printing plate` holder having an opening therethrough and provided with means for securing a transparent printing plate on said holder in a position bridging said opening, a support for said holder provided with an opening registering with the opening in the plate holder and with abutments located adjacent two edges of said plate holder, and means for forcing the plate holder inytwo directions against lsaid abutments for determining accurately the position of the plate holder on saidsupport.

5. The combination-of a printing plate holder having an opening therethrough and provided with means for securing a transparent printing plate on said holder in a l u j l 3. The combination of a printing plate position bridging Asaid opening, a support for said holder provided with an opening registering with the opening in the plate holder and with abutments located adjacent two edges of said, plate holder, means .for forcing the plate holder in two directions against said abutments for determining accurately the position of the plate holder on said support, and means for pressing said plate holder firmly against the face of said support.

6. The combination of a printing plate holder having an opening therethrough and provided with means `for securing a transparent printing plate on Said holder in a position bridging said opening, a support for said holder provided with an opening registering with the opening in the plate holder and with abutments located adjacent two edges of said plate holder, and securing devices located on said support adjacent the f l opposite edges of the plate holder and movable for forcing the plate holder in two directions against said abutments for deter- 'securing devices loca-ted holder and with abuiinonis ioontod adjacent two edges of said plate holder, and on said support adjacent the opposite edges of the plate holder and movable for forcing the plate holder in two directions against said abutments for determining accurately the position of the plate holder on said support, said securing devices and abutments also acting to press the plate holder firmly against the face of said support. p

8. The combination of a printing plate holder` having an opening therethrough and provided with means for adjustably securing a transparent printing plate on said holder in a position bridging said opening, a rotatable head having an opening registering with the opening in the plate holder, abutments located on said head adjacent two edges of said plate holder, means for forcing the plate holder in tWo directions against said abutments for determining accurately the position of the plate holder on said head, and a support on which said head is rotatably adjustable.

9. The combination of a photographic plate holder having an opening therethrough and provided with means for adjustably and stationarily holding a transparent plate or film on said holder in a predetermined position bridging said opening, a support for said holder provided with an opening registering with the opening in the plate holder, and means for stationarily securing said holder accurately in a predetermined position on said support.

10. The combination of a photographic plate holder having an opening therethrough and provided with means for adjustably and stationarily holding a transparent plate or film on said holder in a predetermined position bridging said open ing, and means for securing the holder with the'transparent plate or film attached in a predetermined location upon a photographic apparatus, said transparent plate or iilm being supported by said holder with its outer face in a plane with or disposed out- Wardly beyond the plate securing means and other parts of the holder.

l1. The combination of a photographic plate holder having an opening therethrough and provided with means for adjustably and stationarily holding a transparent plate or ilrn and a mask applied thereto on said holder in a predetermined position bridging said opening, a support for said holder provided With an opening registering with the opening in the plate holder, and means for stationarily securing said holder accurately in a predetermined position on said support.

l2. The combination of a photographic plate holder having an opening therethrough and provided with means for adjustably and stationarily holding a transparent plate on said holder in a predetermined registered position bridging said opening, a support for said holder provided with an opening registering with the opening in the plate 'holder and with abutments adapted to engage lateral portions of said plate holder, and means for forcing said plate holder laterally against said abutments for accurately positioning the plate holder on said support.

VYl/Vitnessmy hand this 26th dayof Feb- M. J. PITMAN, C. WV. PARKER.

ruary, 1919. 

